Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration ISSN:1229-1064(Print) 2384-051X(Online) 지구물리와 물리탐사

The magnetotelluric (MT) survey can be affected by external environmental factors. In particular, when acquiring MT data in islands, it is essential to consider the combined effect of topography and sea to understand the results and make accurate interpretations. To analyze the MT response (apparent resistivity, phase) with consideration of the effect of topography and sea, a small cone-shaped island model surrounded by deep sea was created. Two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) forward modeling were performed on the terrain model considering topography and the island model considering both topography and sea. The 2-D MT response did not reflect the topographic and sea effect of the direction orthogonal to the 2-D profile. The 3-D MT response included topographic and sea effects in all directions. The XY and YX components of the apparent resistivity were separated on undulating topography, such as a hill. A conductor at 1 km below sea level could be distinguished from topographic and sea effects in the MT response, and low resistivity anomaly was attenuated at greater depths. This study will facilitate understanding of field data measured on small islands.